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Advising in Psychology

Good advising is critical to students’ success at CSUB.

In the Department of Psychology, all majors are assigned a faculty advisor based on the list below. Assigned advisors stay with their students until graduation. We encourage students to see their individual advisor or a group advisor each semester to stay on track and be sure they take the best classes for their unique needs and interests. The University requires students to see an advisor at least once each year.

Some advising issues require extended discussion and one-on-one time with an advisor. These discussions often center on things like career planning, long-term schedule planning, study strategies, difficulties in the major, getting involved in important extracurricular activities, and graduate school. Most of the time, however, advising focuses on picking appropriate classes for the next semester.

Most students request advising just before registration for the next semester’s classes, usually in the eighth or ninth week of the semester, usually for help with picking classes. Faculty cannot accommodate all the requests for individual advising they receive during this “pre-registration advising crunch,” which lasts between the seventh and tenth week of the semester. In order for faculty to assist all the students who need help during the “crunch,” the Department offers group advising to most students, with a few exceptions for individual advising.

Group Advising

Using the group advising format, about 20 students meet with an SSE advisor, a faculty advisor or two, along with some student peer advisors in a computer lab to choose classes. Students come to these sessions with a tentative schedule they have created using resources developed by the Department and available for downloading (see box on the right). During group advising sessions, advisors will answer student questions, check tentative schedules, troubleshoot registration problems, and monitor progress through the major and other university requirements.

Individual Advising

While most advising during the “crunch” can be conducted in a group setting, the Psychology faculty recognize that some advising situations require one-on-one appointments with individual advisors. If you request an individual appointment during this time, you should justify your request with one of the following reasons:

You are a student athlete (NCAA eligibility rules are complicated)

You are experiencing academic difficulties that affect registration (e.g., on probation, applying for re-admission)

You are a senior intending to submit your graduation check before the end of the quarter

You are new to Psychology and have never been seen by an individual advisor

You have been referred by a group advisor

Signing Up for a Group Advising Appointment

Group Advising sign-ups begin a couple of weeks before university advising. You will be notified of this via email, as well as announcement on Psychology Connection on Blackboard. You do not need to find a session with your individual advisor. After signing up, be sure to make a note of your appointment time. Please come to your appointment prepared (e.g., with your tentative schedule completed and questions ready to be asked). You should remain aware of these and other important dates by reviewing the university Academic Calendar.

Signing Up for an Individual Appointment

If you have determined that you need individual advising during the “crunch,” reserve an appointment with your assigned advisor at the individual advising bulletin board, located outside the Department office (DDH D107). Individual advising is conducted during the second week of advising (the first week of registration). Be sure to provide a reason for your need for an individual appointment as part of signing up. Individual appointments may be denied if a valid reason for their need is not provided.

Can I meet for an individual advising appointment outside this “crunch time?”

Yes. All faculty hold office hours throughout the semester and the best time for extended and informal discussions with your assigned advisor about Psychology and your future are during the times when faculty are less swamped with advising (weeks 1-7 and 11-15).

Sign Up for Advising

Start looking for sign up info sent to your email for group advising and individual advising in the sixth week of the semester. The group advising sign up binder is located inside of the Department office, DDH D107, and the individual advising bulletin boards are located between rooms DDH D103 and DDH D107 (the Department office).